Workout UK July 2018 by Script Media

July 2018

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

NFA deadline: don’t leave it too late ... By Oliver Dyson

THE DEADLINE is looming for nominations for the National Fitness Awards. The annual ceremony celebrates the best the fitness industry has to offer. And the closing date for nominations for this year’s awards is earlier than usual, with operators wanting to be in with a shot having to submit their entry by July 30. That means you have less than a month to make sure you or a worthy candidate has their chance at taking home one of the awards. There are 23 categories to choose from and the awards are open to any gyms which have been operating for two years or more, by the time of this year’s ceremony. Those open less than that time are only eligible for the Newcomer of the Year category. The awards are organised by Script Events in conjunction with Workout magazine and in partnership with ServiceSport. This year, they are making their venue debut at Liverpool’s Aintree Racecourse on December 7. And along with the new venue, three categories have also been announced to showcase outstanding achievement, boutique and education facilities.

The show will be presented by Jenny Pacey and Wayne Gordon. The judging panel for this year’s awards includes NFA veteran Katie Bulmer-Cooke. Katie has previously presented the awards and is returning as a judge for the second time. She said: “It’s a real honour to be asked to be a judge at the NFAs for a second year. “Last year I was blown away by the standard of entries and I’m sure this year will be no different. “We have a lot to be proud of in our industry and to be shortlisted at the NFAs really is something to be immensely proud of and I wish everyone the best of luck.” She will be joined by fellow judges Dean Ragdale, Ben Coomber, Steve Johnson and first time judge Amelia Worrall, commercial director of JD Gyms. Script Events’ national events co-ordinator Simone Saunders, who is leading on this year’s NFAs, said: “We are fast approaching the deadline for nominations. We’ve had some great entries so far, but there is still chance for you to potentially join us at this year’s ceremony. “It is set to be a night to remember.” Visit www.nationalfitnessawards. co.uk to find out more and submit your nomination.

No 298 £3

Inclusive coaching course is launched

Max Whitlock has teamed up with Everyone Active to bring gymnastics to children across the country. The 25-year-old double Olympic gold medallist has teamed up with the sports and leisure provider to introduce a new gymnastics programme. Through the partnership, Everyone Active has pledged to get one million children aged four to 11 taking part in the sport over the next four years. The partnership came about thanks to Max’s ongoing participation in the Everyone Active Sporting Champions Scheme, which he has been a part of for the past three years. He also trains at Basildon Sporting Village.

A NEW e-learning course has been launched to raise awareness of the role coaches can play in helping the visually impaired. As part of annual Coaching Week, UK Coaching and British Blind Sport launched Coaching People with Visual Impairments. The new course raises awareness of the crucial role coaches’ play in helping people with visual impairments overcome barriers to participation in sport and physical activity. According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People, ‘almost half of blind and partially sighted people feel “moderately” or “completely” cut off from people and things around them’, demonstrating the importance of sport and physical activity as a vehicle to reduce social isolation. Coaching People with Visual Impairments contains helpful tips, practical solutions and vibrant videos that will increase coaches’ knowledge, assurance and skills of coaching participants with VI and make their practice more inclusive.

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Judy Murray visits clubs on tennis coaching tour By Oliver Dyson JUDY Murray raised a racket about tennis on a tour of David Lloyd Clubs. Judy, mother to world number one tennis champions Jamie and Andy Murray, shared tips and advice from her decades in the tennis industry during her visits to six clubs across the UK. It marked the second year Judy has been brought on as a coach consultant for David Lloyd, imparting her knowledge to new and existing coaches alike. Judy said: “I’m so happy to be back in my role as coach consultant for a second successive year with David Lloyd Clubs. “ I’ve a huge passion for tennis and I believe that building a better and stronger delivery workforce across the UK is key to getting more kids, teens and adults playing. “David Lloyd Clubs has 600 coaches so it’s great to be able to share lots of ideas on how to make tennis fun and stimulating.” A particular focus on getting children, and especially girls, into the sport was an aim of Judy’s. “The parent will always be the first port of call when a child needs someone to play with, so if we can show the parents how to help their kids to develop the skills you need for tennis, then it’s a win-win. But it’s not

just about the physical skills, sport can help to develop all sorts of life skills too.” The number of kids playing the sport at David Lloyd Clubs alone has risen by more than four per cent since Judy began. Jamie and Andy were both members at David Lloyd Clubs in their youth too. David Lloyd group racquets manager David Bulgin said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Judy as a tennis coach consultant again. “At David Lloyd Clubs, we’re committed to encouraging more children to get into tennis, no matter their age or ability. “ Judy helps to not only encourage those playing tennis, but also those teaching the sport, when she runs coaching classes for our tennis coaches. “Judy’s interactive workshops are both fun and innovative, from games that can be done in the back garden with mum or dad to coach-led drills, she focuses on exercises that build skills vital in tennis. “For our coaching teams, it’s an incredible opportunity to learn from someone who trained the former World Number One in tennis. Tennis is a great agility sport, that improves general fitness, but it also helps builds social skills and self-confidence – skills that are key to kids.”

At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: ce@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

Judy Murray with some of the youngsters she coached when she visited a selection of David Lloyd facilities. In last month’s issue, we covered the Raising the Bar report results on the front page. We wrote that 73 per cent of employers believe personal training qualifications and assessments should take no longer than six months to be completed. This was incorrect and should have read 73 per cent of employers believe personal training qualifications and assessments should take no less than six months to be completed. We apologise for any confusion caused. Advertising

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Overhaul of Hall’s gym facilities and poolside area planned By Oliver Dyson ROCKLIFFE Hall is preparing for an overhaul of its gym facilities and poolside area later this year. The spa and gym, nestled in the centre of 375 acres of Hurworth on Tees, Darlington countryside, came second in the 2016 National Fitness Awards Best Hotel Facility of the Year category. Speaking to Workout, operations manager Alistair Bramwell confirmed the centre is currently in talks with equipment providers to overhaul their current facilities, last updated eight years ago. “We had budgeted to replace it after five years but even with the amount of use they have had, they are like brand new. “We have already upgraded our software to the Wellness Cloud and we are currently in talks for the kit. “We have always been very much service led as members pay a premium to be here. So on the gym floor itself the users call the shots. “There is no pressure on our end for context with personal trainers but if they do want it, it is on hand and available. We almost want to give it away rather than push it.” The gym contains a studio and a smaller space, where groups of no more than eight can take part in

An artist’s impression of the new poolside area. only recently expanded. In addition classes. There are no plans to remove these to the hydrotherapy pool, five heat rooms, 20m pool and juice bar, a in the refurbishment. new hot tub and spa garden has The gym hosts classes in bar been added over the last two and a Pilates and the surrounding natural half years. landscape lends itself well as a “We find people will join for the setting for Nordic Walking sessions, spa facilities alone and residents yoga and Pilates. have use on a check in and check Alistair said the spa and gym out basis. benefits from a membership base of 750, but sees use by hotel residents “Our spa garden houses a limited and spa day guests too. number of people for two hour The spa facilities themselves have sessions as part of their day. It

comes in use for meditation, where we offer things like sunrise classes. Users can sit around the fire pit and water feature as the sun comes up. “When we first opened we very much wanted to ease some of the poolside congestion. And we built it so it could be used all year round. But as soon as the sun is out, people are out there in the infinity pool or in the view sauna.” The poolside area will also benefit from a decorative overhaul in the refurbishment. Ample treatment rooms elsewhere in the spa provide a variety of options, from the standard massages to the more unusual, such as the mud Razul treatment where they cover themselves in mud and enjoy a steam room. Alistair said that has proven particularly popular due to its lower price point, thanks to not requiring a member of staff to lead it. This and other treatments can be added to spa packages easily. As part of the refurbishment, another Razul treatment room is being created to meet demand. And for the hungry, the brasserie restaurant attached to the spa provides a 20 per cent for members. The refurbishment is hoped to begin at the end of this year.

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Katie is cooking up a storm with opening of Guilt Free Kitchen ENTREPRENEUR, award-winning personal trainer and WorkOut columnist Katie Bulmer-Cooke has made her Apprentice dream a reality just four years after Lord Alan Sugar turned her down. WorkOut took a few minutes out of her busy time to find out how the South Shields-based Guilt Free Kitchen is getting on. What is it like to finally have Guilt Free Kitchen open? It’s so exciting to finally open the doors and have people coming in and enjoying our food. It’s almost four years since I presented my business plan to Lord Sugar on The Apprentice, but it’s definitely been worth the wait.

What response have you had? We’ve had an incredible response so far. While healthy eating establishments have popped up in other major cities over the years, Sunderland has still been missing out. Our customers tell us how convenient it is to pick up a healthy lunch or evening meal at an affordable price. We’ve had a lot of feedback telling us how refreshing it is to be able to choose healthy, nutrient dense options that aren’t just salads! What makes GFK different to a regular eating experience/ menu? We take foods that traditionally seen as being unhealthy, such as burgers, curries and pizza and give them a guilt free make over. We make

everything from scratch, and you can pick up any of our meals as quickly as you could a traditional take away. How do you put the GFK menu together? Now that would be telling! How do you balance GFK and your fitness training? Having multiple businesses and hats to wear can be challenging, but in my experience it’s all about having solid systems in place and the right people around you. Myself and my business partner Joanne, have built a strong team and have made the operations of GFK as seamless as possible, which allows us to free up our time to work on our other businesses and growing GFK.

Do you find GFK and training link well together? Absolutely. Many of our customers are fitness enthusiasts who have busy lives, so our menu and meal plans work perfectly for them. Similarly, we are working closely with local fitness professionals to offer their clients incentives to become customers of Guilt Free Kitchen and we are also supplying local gyms with our clean desserts and meal plans to sell onto their members. What are your plans going forward? We are already looking at additional sites in the region and we hope that in addition, we will begin exploring franchise opportunities within the next 12-18 months.

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Advertiser’s announcement

V1be putting the boutique into Manchester HERE at Fitness Systems LTD, we love to see how the fitness industry is evolving; from the equipment itself, to the way fitness is becoming more and more appealing to the general public. In late March 2018, we were lucky enough to help ‘V1be Fitness’ establish their first ‘boutique gym’– which has already taken Manchester by storm. In this article we will be sharing the journey of V1be Fitness and their future intentions through eyes of Gareth Evans (V1be Fitness majority share holder). In discussion with Gareth it was clear to see that he and his team were already heavily involved in the fitness industry, prior to their investment into V1be, and so began this journey with extensive industry knowledge. Their aim was to venture into the ‘boutique fitness market’. This development took between nine and 12 months prior to opening the first site in Manchester, Northern Quarter in late March this year. When we asked Gareth how he found out about Fitness Systems LTD, he replied: “While working as a duty manager at DW sports fitness, Fitness Systems at the time were one of the main suppliers to DW, and from time to time we’d speak regarding the usual things such as servicing equipment and ordering new parts. “They have always been a great company to work with and very professional.” All V1be workouts are carefully

designed by their team of elite coaches, to target key muscle groups and transform your body. Workouts are for first timers and dedicated trainers alike. V1be aim to provide a fun and challenging training environment that will never bore their clients. V1be specialise in high intensity interval training, fully monitored using heart rate monitors to ensure an effective safe workout every time, using technology to their advantage. Using this technology ensures a balanced workout allowing maximum efficiency for the targeted requirements.

For example, a fat burning aim would be based on increasing metabolic rates and burning calories like no other. An example of equipment being used to its full potential is the treadmill-based HIIT classes, aiming to be the best in the market. Using the first treadmill with a 30 per cent incline caters perfectly for those who prefer incline training over sprints – and allows more advanced fitness enthusiasts to combine a bit of both. Here at Fitness Systems, we worked closely aiming to supply V1be with what we believe to be the best equipment for the job, this

included things such as the Physical Evo benches – multi-use training benches which also double up as a storage unit; saving space while also providing an effective convenient workout station. It’s clear to see with the right equipment and the second to none coaching, V1be is being noticed for the quality service that they have to offer: One customer after their first class stated: “Amazing modern facilities with up to date equipment. Definitely recommended. I’ve not been to a proper work out in a long time, staff are all polite and friendly so felt at ease. Can’t wait to go again for my next class.” (customer review 06/04/2018) When asked about the service at Fitness systems, V1be responded saying “They really know what they are doing, from years/ decades of experience their team has. “Some of our more bespoke items at V1BE look fantastic. Ordering the kit was easy and the delivery was spot on.” V1be’s aim for the future is expansion – having already got a location signed up and ready to go in Q4 2018 and looking at site three opening in another major city in the UK by May 2019. From there, they aim to raise funds to grow the business to a multi-site operation, with the hopes of a V1be franchise in the UK and abroad.

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Fitness operator rallies for Grenfell By Oliver Dyson

EVERYONE Active is helping raise cash for those affected by the Grenfell Tower disaster. The fitness operator runs London’s Westway Sports and Fitness Centre and as part of fundraising efforts for the British Red Cross London Fire Relief Fund, has launched Rally4Grenfell. The campaign saw more than a thousand primary school children descend upon Westway Sports and Fitness Centre on June 19 to take part in a tennis festival. It commemorated the one-year anniversary of the disaster, which claimed the lives of 72 people in the North Kensington tower block.

Alongside the tournament, Everyone Active has also been running a two-month online charity auction featuring a range of speciallydonated items from the worlds of sports and showbusiness. A match shirt signed by Sir Andy Murray and a badminton masterclass with Gail Emms MBE were just two of the items on offer, alongside special Rally4Grenfell wristbands. The auction runs until July 21. All proceeds raised from the auction and tennis festival will go to the fund. Everyone Active general manager Ian Ling said: “As we mark one year since the tragic events of Grenfell, we wanted to commemorate the community spirit during this difficult time.

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“Our community came together in an incredibly powerful way following the Grenfell Tower fire and you could see that every day in the number of volunteers and donations that surrounded Westway Sports & Fitness Centre. “We hope that by launching the Rally4Grenfell auction we can raise vital funds for British Red Cross London Fire Relief Fund to help support those left injured, bereaved or homeless by the Grenfell disaster. “Sport has an incredible ability to bring people together and can play a huge role in the healing process. “Our tennis festival will provide local school children with a great opportunity to come together and learn a new skill. We look forward to

welcoming the community through our doors for this event and hope to make it a real success for everyone to enjoy.” Stephen Wren, Director of Sport and Leisure at Westway Trust, said: “Westway Sports & Fitness staff worked tirelessly in the hours and days following the fire to support those affected and I know that many of them were deeply affected by the experience. “I also personally witnessed the incredible support that the British Red Cross gave to the relief effort for which I am very grateful. “This is a wonderful initiative and the funds raised can have a real impact of the lives of people living in North Kensington.”

Contact our sales team today to find out how you can introduce our innovative functional fitness solutions to your facility. Email sales@jordanfitness.co.uk or call +44 (0) 1553 763 285

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LISTEN TO THE ESCAPE YOUR LIMITS PODCAST. Find out what these industry innovators are doing and what it takes to not just survive, but flourish in an ever crowded and competitive marketplace. Gain a life’s worth of knowledge in just one hour, from fitness businesses that have made it happen. Available on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher and more, for iOS and Android. Or watch each episode on YouTube. For more information visit www.escapefitness.com/WO18

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Welcome to WorkOut Weigh In – it’s your chance to have your say and share your views on industry issues. You can email us at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or you can message us on Facebook or Twitter.

Editor’s comment

WELCOME to the July issue of Workout. Summer is now well and truly upon us, and what a great start we have had. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy some of the warm weather while getting out and about to see some great gyms and fitness centres. In this issue, you can check out my visit up to Rockliffe Hall near Darlington where they are planning an overhaul of the gym facilities and poolside area later this year. And over at Core Gym in Bradford, we found out how converting a one-time shoe store into a gym has really paid off. We also hear from Workout columnist Katie Bulmer-Cooke about her latest venture – Guilt Free Kitchen. It’s great to see that she has turned her Apprentice dream into a reality after Lord Alan Sugar turned her down. I also had the chance to have a really interesting chat with stunt woman, racing champ and fitness expert Sarah Donohue about her new book and her encounter with the current US president. Sarah has enough stories to tell that she is already thinking about her next autobiography, even as her first hits the shelves. But if the rest of the book lives up to what she told me over the phone, it will definitely be a worthwhile read. Summer also means the National Fitness Awards are ever closer – and the deadline for nominations even closer still. Last month, we announced the exciting news that celebrity personal trainers and former Gladiators Wayne Gordon and Jenny Pacey would be hosting this year’s event, taking place at Liverpool’s Aintree Racecourse on December 8. If you want to stand a chance of being there – or know someone who should be – get your nominations in now, before the deadline is up on July 30. For now, enjoy this issue. Oliver

Talking point: Which social networks do you find most useful to your fitness business and how do you effectively use them? Are there any you would like more help getting to grips with? Send your answers to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Twitter or Facebook. We’ll print the best responses next issue. SEVERE hearing and sight loss didn’t stop Huw Davies from achieving his weight loss goal. 56-year-old Huw joined Barnsley’s Metrodome Leisure Complex in 2012 and trains there three times a week. When he first joined, Huw weighed 23 stone. But thanks to his efforts working with a personal trainer in the gym and taking advantage of the Metrodome’s pool facilities, he has now lost nine stone - and is WorkOut’s July Way To Go winner. Huw has lived with severe hearing loss since birth and wears a hearing aid in both ears. His sight started deteriorating in his mid thirties due to a hereditary condition and now he can only tell the difference between light and dark; meaning he is totally reliant on his guide dog Hunter. When training in the pool or in the gym, he depends on support from Metrodome staff. For swimming, Hunter is allowed to wait in one of the staff offices and a trainer takes Huw, who has to remove his hearing aids, to the pool where he uses the rope as a guide for lane swimming. He added: “In the gym, I am totally dependent on the trainers. I trust them completely, which makes it so much easier. We work together as a team and I always enjoy coming.” Fitness Flex facility manager at the Metrodome Michael Cutts said: “Huw is very inspirational, very friendly and staff love spending time with him.”

Picture of the month

Lake Windermere is the setting for paddlecise sessions this summer. Blending core strength, co-ordination and stability with a twist, fitness instructors at the Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa health club take members out onto the lake to exercise. The 45-minute sessions blend core fitness with spectacular scenery. The paddle board, similar to a surf board, is propelled with a single blade paddle to move through the water whilst in a standing or kneeling position. Paul Brown from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues says: “Stand up paddle boarding has been brought to us from Hawaii and is a fast growing sport throughout the UK. It’s great fun to do and easy to learn. Everyone needs to be prepared to get wet once or twice, but we provide all the gear, from the stand up paddleboards themselves to wetsuits and buoyancy aids as required.” The Paddlecise classes at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa health club are held on Thursdays and Fridays at 6pm. To book a place, call 01539 439344.

#social media ...

@LynnWilson77 Loved tonight the 1st launch of #mossa #groupfight in Israel. These guys rocked in energy, attitude, and the warmest welcome thank you #BodyShape @fitpro_online @WorkoutUK @MOSSA_UK @ FitnessDayUK #mossa #fitness #mma #family #letsmove #fightforit @NaomiBrown444 Our first ‘Challenge Na and Ollie’ adventure at @RigsFitness with @WorkoutUK - I have really enjoyed implementing functional mobility into my strength an conditioning plan this week. #WorkoutUK #RigsFitness

#FunctionalMobility #improvement #Birmingham @emmaboggis Very proud to lead an organisation founded by a woman back in 1935 and to not be the ﬁrst (or even second) female CEO. Several name changes later we remain committed to supporting @sportrectweets members in creating an active nation through sport and recreation. RT: @ sportrectweets It’s our 83rd birthday today and don’t we look good! Guess that’ll be down to all that physical activity and outdoor recreation that we do.

@NixKitz Footie on, you say?! You’d never know it @NuffieldHealth #BrondesburyPark with packed @LesMills #BodyAttack and #CXWORX classes - yay! #committofit #NuffieldBrondesburyPark #TUNENG #englandvstunisia #WorldCup18 @GoodGym There will be no highlights of tonight’s group runs on ITV or the BBC. Given that ITV are providing highlights of the England Vs Tunisia game (which has been scheduled to start at the same time as our runs) we’d recommend going to the run and watching the football later ;)

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Elevate organiser adds two more events to its portfolio

The new Anytime Fitness gym in Yeovil which will be open 24 hours a day.

Anytime Fitness opens 24-hour Yeovil branch YEOVIL’S first 24-hour, seven days a week gym has opened. Anytime Fitness Yeovil, owned by franchisee Walk On Fitness, has opened at Quedam Shopping Centre. Founded by Walk On Fitness director William Arnstein, it is the first of its kind in the area and was made possible with a £432,000 flexible business loan from HSBC. The loan also purchased with the gym’s fit-out and the top of the range equipment, including a Synergy 360 – a modular unit

QUARTZ Sequoia Events has acquired two more to add to its calendar. The Elevate organiser has acquired Elite Sports Expo and Copa, adding to its sport, fitness and health sector events portfolio. The acquisition means Elevate now covers everything from rehabilitating therapy to increasing kids’ activity within schools. Elevate founder Max Quittenton said: “It’s a testament to the success of Elevate and the incredible support that we have seen by the industry, that we have been able to make this expansion and encompass over 300 exhibitors in our third year. “The continued industry growth and enthusiasm to invest and innovate in

health and fitness markets within the UK has enabled us to create a strong community that seeks to promote physical activity for all. “Elevate was created to bring together the fitness, healthcare and performance sectors, so this acquisition makes perfect sense.” Elevate 2019 will continue to focus on the challenge of inactivity through inclusivity, innovation and scientific research. With more emphasis on elite sports, rehabilitation and healthcare, participants in the future can expect to find information from the performance sector more accessible and the research and valuable opinions of health experts strongly represented.

that provides a variety of workout options. William said: “It’s a huge personal achievement to be opening my first fitness centre. “I’m delighted to be bringing a 24-hour gym offer to the area, something that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of HSBC and our relationship manager Abdul Rehman. “We have plans to open more sites in the coming years and hope that Yeovil will be the start of an exciting new chapter for us.”

Participants from Darlington’s FitLAB group exercise space met up to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle in style.

a better Matthew experience. Januszek It’s also vital to consider storage as essential for safety. Gyms aren’t fundamentally dangerous places, but they can be if safety isn’t taken seriously. Providing a safe place away from the gym floor for every piece of equipment and regular communications with members about the need to store equipment post workout, will help to reduce accidents and potential claims. Here are four essential types of storage per training area to think about: 1. FUNCTIONAL EQUIPMENT RACKS. Keeping equipment racked and ready is necessary in any functional training area, where getting equipment out and back in storage again quickly matters. Flexible shelving solutions in this environment are ideal because tools come in all shapes and sizes, from big

inflated gym balls to small, weighted bags and more. Things like heightadjustable shelves that accommodate a centre’s unique equipment range work well. Or opt for ready-to-go, performance-focused solutions with storage and training tools in one. 2. RACKS AND SHELVES BUILT INTO TRAINING FRAMES. Another way to go is with storage built into the training frame. On-frame shelving can bring to life fantastic workouts and programs that blend work on and off the frame. Trainers appreciate such installations because they get groups going on circuits with maximum variety. Moving from a 30-second blast with a Rope Pulley to a few reps of Bulgarian Bag swings, and then on to the next station, makes for a great workout. 3. STORAGE BOXES. Sometimes racking alone doesn’t help with those smaller items always left lying around. Resistance tubes, boxing gloves, and foam rollers are frequently scattered about. The answer? Large-capacity, strong, portable boxes. Must-have features include sturdy handles and wheels, space dividers, and ventilation to dry equipment between workouts. 4. FREE-WEIGHT STORAGE. Free-

Is your gym struggling for clean floor space? By Matthew Januszek

IT’S the balancing act every gym must perform - ensuring the right amount of floor space with equipment that delivers training experiences to excite members. In fact, with overhead cost per square foot fixed, freeing up as much training space as possible is vital. Key to meeting this challenge? Equipment storage. While great storage doesn’t initially sound that sexy, it’ll maximise floor space and provide additional benefits that make it well worth the investment. Think visual aesthetics – the backdrop to a gym’s unique ambiance. Would you want your brand to be represented by a messy floor covered with accessories? A well-presented gym gives a place for everything and everything a place. Spaces feel more welcoming when they are organised and if you pick a well-designed storage option, it can look great and bring a wow factor of its own. For members, PTs and staff alike, ample floor space for exercise coupled with well-organised equipment lends ultimately to

weight areas need excellent storage because these can be among the most-used areas in a center. So racks that have exactly the right configuration and capacity for a range of free-weights are a must. There are even options to accommodate dumbbells and kettlebells, along with medballs and other items. And, the best solutions include angled shelves for quick access to weights. It’s easy for well-designed storage to be an afterthought when re-invigorating a gym. But it shouldn’t be because the right solutions maximize results by increasing floor space, enhancing organization, improving safety and positively adding to overall user experience. Wins that benefit owners, members, trainers, staff and users alike. n Matthew Januszek is co-founder at Escape Fitness, a leading global equipment manufacturer offering innovative equipment and storage solutions, gym design, flooring and training. Additionally, Matthew is the host of the Escape Your Limits podcast, which delivers insights from the fitness industry’s most influential leaders and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit http://www. escapefitness.com/.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Pole fitness trainer gives a live demo POLE fitness had a national audience when one instructor was invited onto Chris Evans radio two show to talk about the sport. The White Studio’s Angie Voluti gave a live demonstration and explained the benefits of pole fitness - and how age should be no barrier to giving it a go. Angie, who turned 53 on the same day as UK Pole Dance Day 2018, started training at 50. She is now a fully-qualified advanced level pole fitness instructor at her Bedford studio. Angie said: “It was a brilliant opportunity to celebrate not only this year’s UK Pole Dance Day, on May 1, but also my 53rd birthday, which happens to be on the same day. “I was thrilled to be given the chance to talk about how pole fitness helps people of all ages to become more confident, get fitter, and have fun... all at the same time.” Angie demonstrated three moves of three different levels, Beginners, Intermediates and Advanced. “My desire is to show anybody who feels they are too old, too unfit or simply ‘past it’ that there is no limit to what a human body can do, with safe training and guidance.”

Evolve or die ... By John Halls

MARKS & Spencer, Mothercare, ToysRUs, House Of Fraser, New Look, Carphone Warehouse, Jamie’s Italian… No, I’m not sharing my family weekend retail therapy outing with you – although I have shopped for myself, my family or friends at all these over the years with one exception (can you guess?) Sadly, this is a roll-call of great British high street businesses that are cutting shops, shedding staff or closing altogether. Many of these have previously been high street giants. Why are they failing? They haven’t evolved in line with either customer demand or expectations. The proposition that worked in the 1990s and Noughties simply doesn’t cut it today. Consumer demand and shopping patterns have changed. Competition has changed. Everything has changed – except failing businesses attitudes it seems. Some of these businesses have tried changing tack – going from high street to retail park to online. But they haven’t succeeded in taking their customers with them. The exceptional service, personal experience and ultimate convenience expected by today’s consumers are simply not there. The incredibly short attention span of today’s customers has not been captured. Sales, business and jobs are being lost left, right and centre. Businesses must evolve or die – that much is clear. Retaining brand identity and quality are important but they must now be delivered with seamless technology, personalised communications, extraordinary service and same-day delivery in most cases.

These principles can be applied to all businesses and certainly to our vibrant fitness industry which is full of early tech-adopters and experience-driven individuals. The days of ‘build it and they will come’ made famous and epitomised in the 1989 film ‘Field Of Dreams’ is over. Kevin Costner sold his new baseball field concept well on the Hollywood Big Screen. Our industry’s big picture is a lot less assured. Operators stuck in the middle ground must evolve their proposition to avoid being pushed aside by the no frills operators with lower cost bases or the high service experiential operations who fully engage customers with exceptional service and products. Having a great concept isn’t enough – the delivery, execution, management of customer expectations and experiences all matter. The best facility in the world can’t just sit back and wait for folks to show up. We should take a lead from the Boutiques who excel in strong clear branding and a simple product

proposition while providing unique, high quality, high service experiences which are getting results. Technology is built into their service by way of slick booking systems and immediate feedback on personal performance during and after a workout. They have embraced technologies such as MyZone and FitBit, their instructor education is available online and programmes are delivered seamlessly to smart devices to engage customers in a style and language they understand. We are seeing many of our larger operators calling in our Complete Solution 360o view to help them build mini boutique areas and sessions within their offering. Village has its Burn areas, energie has its Yard. They are cleverly drawing in customers with their boutique-style offering while retaining their mainstay membership with extensive gym and studio facilities. Bigger boxes seeking smaller, bespoke programme solutions are snapping up our single station multifunctional EVO Bench. Integration of MyZone screens and monitoring in gyms and classes is also being received well and engages members very effectively. And our Apex gym-floor sessions for smaller groups of up to 12 continue to thrive as gyms recognise the value of offering a bespoke session within their larger setting. Operators need to evolve or die. What’s always worked won’t always work. It’s time to look afresh at what you do well, what your customers want and how you can adapt to engage more people in a truly exceptional experience. n John Halls is managing director of Physical Company.

A SUCCESSFUL independent gym, which prides itself on progress, results and community, has celebrated its fifth birthday. Smokin’ Guns Fitness in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire opened in April 2013; filling a gap in market for a friendly, local gym which caters to the fitness and training needs of ‘normal, everyday people.’ Over the last five years, the club has built up a loyal following and now has over 500 members who think of it as an integral part of the local community. Director Andrew McGee, who gave up his job as a heating engineer to open the gym, explained: “Fitness and exercise has always been my life. I used to box competitively and competed in natural bodybuilding and power lifting, so it was always something I was interested in. “I started studying clinical nutrition and got my diploma and really wanted to have my own gym.” After making the decision, Andrew handed in his notice in the January and opened the gym in April, leaving him with a period of around six weeks after securing the premises to get everything ready. But his gamble paid off as the

business has gone from strength to strength; growing every year and even being nominated for a National Fitness Award. He added: “The basis was that I wanted a gym for just normal, everyday people. “In the past five years, we’ve had eight gyms open within a two-mile radius, but every year we have grown by about 25 to 30 per cent; the reason for this being that we are able to offer a far better service.” Members at Smokin’ Guns Fitness can enjoy a range of classes from boxercise to yoga, with personal training and a ladies bootcamp also

on offer, as well as the opportunity to take part in 10-week transformation challenges. Offering that personal touch has also been key to its ongoing success, according to Andrew. He added: “For us, being this size is really great. “We know everyone by their first name and how they are getting on training wise. “It’s far more of a community here than someone just walking in and working out. “We have a lot of connection with everyone who comes through the door.”

John Halls

Steve is the new UK MD for Precor Gym celebrates fifth birthday PRECOR has appointed a new UK managing director. Steve Carter has been promoted from field sales manager at Amer Sports and has replaced Justin Smith. Steve has more than 20 years’ experience in management and sales across fitness and leisure and will manage the growing Precor sales team. Precor is a subsidiary of the Amer Sports Corporation. Before joining Precor, Steve was general manager of Scott Sports and previously, in senior management at Cybex International UK and Nautilus. He said: “My predecessor, Justin Smith, has laid some great foundations to enable Precor to spring to the next level as both a brand and business partner for our customers. We have excellent products and a great story and are gearing up our operations and our team. “My aim as head of UK is to continue to motivate the sales team to provide customers with the seamless, high-level of expertise and service they already experience and expect from Precor. “

UK FITNESS SCENE

Advertiser’s announcement

A new trend for proving results ... WITH the growing popularity of body transformation programs and resultsbased training facilities, Fitness centres are embracing new technologies that help grow and retain their membership and Body composition analysis has started to become an essential ingredient in the market. BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) devices such as InBody, allow fast, noninvasive, and extremely accurate body composition testing, providing detailed data such as total body water, muscle mass, skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, segmental lean analysis, body fat percentage, intra and extra cellular water balance bone mineral content, metabolic rate etc.

InBody UK go direct With this rapid rise in interest in the UK, the InBody brand set up a direct operation in the UK and have recently expanded into their new UK headquarters in Leicestershire, which includes a product showroom and training centre, hosting monthly client education along with the service and sales call centre.

Meet the Team Hiring a team of experts who are well respected in the fitness industry was

the key for expansion and developing the UK business. The UK team is now led by UK Country Manager and industry veteran Rob Thurston, Key Accounts Gregg Rumble, UK Regional Sales Francesca Cooper, Administrations/Service/Accounting Sophie Browne, and InBody Educational Trainer Louis Smith.

Customers that buy InBody With over 350 InBody devices across the country, our customers are from fitness clubs, personal training studios, hotels, professional sports clubs, wellness centres /spa’s, hospitals/chiropractic centres etc. The InBody’s product range has a device to accommodate a wide range fit for customers’ needs and budgets. Our key clients include all Bannatynes Health Clubs, LivingWell Health Clubs, Third Space Health Clubs, A.F.C. Bournemouth, F45 Training Centres, 8WW Chiropractic Centres and many more. Key Partners With rapidly growing requirement from operators to capture and manage client data, InBody has partnered with key fitness industry leaders to integrate the InBody’s body composition results with their digital platforms – these include Myzone, Technoygm, eGym, Milon etc – allow clients to track and monitor their progress via the clubs preferred platform. Why InBody? Due to the unique combination of technologies used by InBody – validation studies show InBody has a 98% correlation with DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) – the gold standard in body composition. These include: 1. 8 Point Tactile Electrode System with Thumb Electrodes The patented 8-Point Tactile Electrode System with THUMB electrodes separates the current and voltage electrodes so that measurements always begin at a fixed point in the wrists and ankles. This provides high reproducibility and correct body impedance measurements because variability due to contact resistance

from the skin has been removed 2. Multiple Frequencies Electric currents have differing penetration abilities depending on their frequency. Some frequencies are better suited for measuring body water outside the cell, while others are capable of passing through cell membranes and measuring total body water. InBody makes use of multiple currents at varying frequencies in order to provide most precise body water analysis results. 3. Direct Segmental Multi-frequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Modern BIA views the human body as five “cylinders”: the arms, the legs, and the trunk. Accurate and independent measurements of each cylinder are essential for providing analysis not just for each cylinder, but for the entire body. InBody’s advanced technology allows all InBody devices to directly measure all five cylinders. 4. No Empirical Estimations Estimations that use empirical data have been used to improve the accuracy in BIA devices that measure impedance using the Whole Body Impedance method. Although useful for measuring the typical and/or healthy body type, problems occur when measuring individuals that have atypical body types, such as high performance athletes or severely overweight individuals. InBody avoids this problem altogether by completely avoiding any use of empirical estimations in our customers body composition data What next? Launched at FIBO2018 – InBody have now developed an InBody user app to transfer their results from the InBody machine direct to the clients mobile device – with easy to understand body composition results and test history . This also links to the new LookinBody Web – cloud based data management to allow operators to manage all of their data from any computer, anytime, anywhere. Set group challenges, assess group program or club results, send clients results and information. n For more information email rob.thurston@inbody.com

CLEANING

Cleaning and hygiene tech company Diversey is highlighting the importance of hand cleanliness. Here, the company explains what can be done to promote cleaner hands and help stop the spread of diseases in public facilities.

Diversey gets hands on about cleanliness HAND hygiene has never been so important. Studies suggest around 80 per cent of all infectious diseases – including Influenza and the common cold – are spread by touch. This link has been known for years, so it is perhaps all the more surprising that so few people wash their hands after going to the toilet or before handling food. Apparently, just 39 per cent of us – fewer than four in 10 – wash our hands before eating. Sadly, news about some outbreak or another is never very far away. The UK has recently experienced the worst winter flu season this decade so it would seem there is more work to be done. Improving hand hygiene would not only reduce suffering and save lives but lessen the burden on healthcare services and minimise the impact on our families, friends and work colleagues when we become ill. Hand hygiene should be so simple that there is no reason not to do it. Up to 100,000 bacteria can live on each square centimetre of skin. Not all are bad but it only takes a few to survive and multiply for an illness to take hold. Products must therefore be effective but they must also be safe. There should also be choice of products to suit different applications. It is tempting to encourage more frequent hand washing in every setting but this is not always ideal. In healthcare, for example, staff should wash their hands between every patient contact. That can mean a lot of washing during a normal day. That can be time-consuming but additionally conventional soaps can strip natural oils which protect the skin, leading to an increased risk of

damage through conditions such as dermatitis. Under these circumstances the wise advice is to use a hand sanitiser that kills pathogens faster than soap without removing protective oils. Whatever products are chosen, they must be available and ready to use whenever required. Dispensers must be situated conveniently to encourage regular and proper use. At the same time, they should ideally contain enough product to prolong the interval between refills and therefore minimise the risk of outages and reduce necessary restocking burdens. Another way to encourage compliance is to monitor usage. While it is rarely desirable to monitor individuals, it is helpful to know how often a particular dispenser has been used and how much product has been consumed. In a hospital, for example, knowing how many

times a dispenser has been used and comparing this with the number of patient contacts by nurses would give a reasonable indication of whether the team has been complying with agreed standards. If not, additional awareness and training can be provided and the subsequent change in usage patterns assessed. Managing these challenges is behind the concept of Diversey’s new IntelliCare system. The dispenser can be used with a wide range of hand care products – soaps, washes and sanitisers – so that operators can choose the one most suited to their specific requirement. Each product is supplied in the same design and size of pouch to enable interchangeability and flexibility. The pouches are larger than average which, combined with the dispenser’s excellent dosing control, ensures the maximum interval between refills. Alerts generated by the dispenser warn the operator before the battery or pouch needs replacing. This helps ensure continuity of hand care product availability. The dispenser automatically switches between automatic and manual mode in the unlikely event of battery failure to ensure users can still access the product. Finally, the dispenser provides feedback on the number of doses and the amount of product used, allowing supervisors to assess usage patterns. The next-generation of the IntelliCare dispenser will also be Internet of Clean enabled to allow remote monitoring. Further information in the UK on 0800 525525 or http:// www.diversey.com Further information in Ireland on 01 808 1808 or http:// www.diversey.com

UK FITNESS SCENE Advertiser’s announcement

Advertiser’s announcement

Extensive product range for the leisure industry

Hand & Handle wipe station PATRONS will take notice of this bright free standing dispenser when they enter a gym or fitness club. Conveniently combines a wet wipe dispenser and bin in one unit. Solid, rotationally molded plastic makes this a perfect receptacle for high-traffic areas and can be moved easily to anywhere in the gym. Designed for heavy use and handling but light enough to carry,

it is also very easy to load and empty. The Wet Wipe Dispenser holds rolls of up to 1,000 antibacterial wipes. The Hand & Handle wipes are designed to clean and disinfect common gym surfaces but also sensitive enough to use on hands. The Hand and Handle can be branded with a gym’s name and logo.

CHEMCARE aim to provide quality service to the leisure industry. We have an extensive product range which has been developed in conjunction with many leisure sites across the country over a number of years. The benefit of this is that all our products are designed and dedicated to meet our customers’ requirements for specific areas, ie pool, changing room, steam room & sauna, gym, customer care, etc. A great deal of effort has been made to reduce the number of products required to clean and maintain a leisure site with the emphasis on safe and efficient working practices. We supply a complete range of

products to many of our customers, including onsite training when required. Our customers range from individual public sector sites and groups, individual private sector clubs and large groups operations. We are developing and introducing new products on a regular basis and can design a range of products for your club or group. We continually strive to improve our products and services to all our exciting and potential customers and can assure you of the best possible service with products at tailored to your individual needs. www.chemcareliverpool.com

UK FITNESS SCENE

Parkwood pioneer new lifesaving partnership

Angel Centre member Angela Johnson, who helped Bradley Watson with the first aid, fellow member Fran Boxall, who supported Joanne Stoate while her husband underwent CPR, Martin and Joanne Stoate and Bradley Watson, health and fitness manager.

Man thanks team who saved his life THE GYM team at the tmactive Angel Centre in Kent more than lived up to their name. They stepped in and saved the life of Martin Stoate, 66, when he went into cardiac arrest at the gym. He was using a rowing machine at the time, part of his regular exercise programme. Now, he has returned to the Angel Centre to thank the team who saved his life. Martin, a retired telecommunications consultant, said: “I was feeling fine on my way to the gym and about 15 minutes into my session, I went on the rowing machine and apparently collapsed and fell backwards. “I remember nothing of this but it was fairly traumatic for my wife, who was also at the gym that morning.” The tmactive staff administered CPR and used AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) several times to bring Martin back to consciousness before the paramedics arrived. He was treated for more than an hour before he was stable enough to be taken to hospital. “I don’t remember anything until I came round in the Intensive Care Unit at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, just over 24 hours later, when they brought me out of an induced coma and off the ventilator.” Martin’s sudden cardiac arrest was due to left ventricular failure, causing his heart to go into a severe arrhythmia. He remained in hospital for three weeks. “I’m very grateful for the speed and professionalism the centre staff delivered to save my life. If they had not had a defibrillator on site

and persevered in their efforts to resuscitate me, I would not be here today,” he added. Two months after the incident, Martin has regained his strength and is able to do most of his previous activities. He has returned to the Angel Centre to start the Cardiac Rehabilitation Course, which is run in conjunction with cardiac nurses. He plans to resume his gym training following the six week course. Martin said: “I have been in to meet the people involved on that day to thank them personally. In addition to the practical help given to me, I would also like to thank the Angel Centre staff for the care and emotional support they gave to my wife who was quite distressed by what happened.” Tmactive’s health and fitness manager Bradley Watson said the company prides itself on having coaches ready at all times to deal with emergency situations like Martin’s. He said: “It’s amazing to see how far Martin has progressed in such a short space of time. Looking at Martin today, it’s hard to believe we were fighting to save his life only a couple of months ago. “We at tmactive pride ourselves on having a team of Wellness Coaches on the gym floor at all times who are trained to deal with such circumstances. “Martin is now joining us for his Cardiac Rehab programme and we look forward to supporting him through his journey to full recovery. “I would personally like to wish Martin and his family a long, healthy and happy future.”

PARKWOOD Leisure has become the first leisure management company to forge a special partnership for its learn to swim programme. Parkwood has partnered up with the Royal Life Saving Society as part of their efforts to make sure every child who completes their learn to swim programme has the skills necessary to survive if they enter difficulty in deep water. Currently, only a small percentage of children who complete Swim England’s Learn to Swim programme do so to level seven, the minimum level needed. Parkwood aims to get every child who takes part in a swim programme at their sites to progress that far. Parkwood national aquatics manager Suzanne Gabb said: “The main reason we wanted to work with the RLSS and include this additional content was to ensure all children achieve a level of competency within our swimming lesson programme

that ensures they are safe in, and around, all types of water. “The number one reason that parents pay for their children to learn to swim is so they can develop key survival skills in water. “That said, many parents stop lessons at stages four or five, just at a point where their children have the confidence to try swimming in various water conditions, but don’t yet have the skills to survive if they get into difficulty. “We want a programme that educates parents and provides the right survival skills for their children whatever stage they reach.” With Parkwood Leisure’s new ‘Learn to Swim’ programme, children will be taught essential water safety skills including understanding the risks and dangers of swimming in all bodies of water, learning to self-rescue and rescue others, and gaining the skills needed to ensure they can swim competently in all water conditions.

Escape expands US team FUNCTIONAL training equipment provider Escape Fitness has bolstered its US team. The Cambridgeshire and Cincinnati based company has added two new names to its roster. Tom Antosik has joined as national accounts manager and Jen-Kei Pong is the new distributor sales manager. Tom is tasked with maintaining current accounts while overseeing the expansion, and Jen-Kei will handle day to day relationships with Escape’s major distributors and vendors while developing sales strategies.

Escape co-founder Matthew Januszek said: “It’s a high octane time for Escape Fitness. This is our 20th year. “We’ve launched the Escape Your Limits podcast to inspire the industry. Our brand is growing worldwide, and especially in the United States. “Along with their years inside the fitness industry, additionally valuable to Escape is the focused insight both bring into the needs of our client and partners. “I couldn’t be more excited for our future.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

IN S TOC K NO 23 W

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Sarah during filming of The World Is Not Enough.

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Fitness pro prepares to launch new book By Oliver Dyson

FITNESS expert, stuntwoman and power boat racing champion Sarah Donohue had plenty of stories to fill her debut autobiography with – but she says writing it was one of the hardest challenges of her career. Sarah, 47, has released new book The World Is Never Enough this month. It has taken her eight years, and a lifetime of experience, to write. It charts her career from her early work as a personal trainer and showgirl, to the start of her racing career thanks to an encounter with late legend Charles Burnett III. Born in Saddleworth, Yorkshire, Sarah’s career has taken her to Hollywood as a stuntwoman for 007 and Angelina Jolie. It also follows her work on creating Miss Galaxy Universe, a competition designed to empower women and celebrate physicality. It was that competition which would put her at odds with now US President Donald Trump, who launched a lawsuit against her due to the name similarities with the pageant competition he then owned, Miss Universe. Her trouble with Trump is discussed for the first time in her book. Speaking to Workout from her home in Spain, Sarah said: “Trump is the one who started the law suit against me in 2012. And I’ve had to inject some humour into my telling because you can’t fight someone like that, one of the richest men in the world, without it. “He was upset that my show was called Miss Galaxy Universe. He didn’t want me to use Miss and Universe together in my title. But Mr Universe is four years older than his Miss Universe pageant. Arnold Schwartznegger was Mr

Fitness expert Sarah Donohue. Credit Rob Cohen.

Universe and in our industry, you hear that word, you think bodybuilding. “There was 15 shows around the world called Miss Universe. But they said I wasn’t allowed to call mine it. I thought it was ludicrous, the most bizarre thing I’d ever heard. “Trump didn’t like it. But I wasn’t interested in what he did or did not like. He said he was thinking of shutting it down and I said ‘give it your best shot’. I even invited him to sit on the judging panel, but he declined. “People say it would just have been his minions but his signature was all over the paperwork. He attended personally to the lawsuit.” The suit disappeared when Trump sold the Miss Universe Organisation in 2015. Initially, the story wasn’t even going to be included in her book. But Sarah was convinced after speaking to celebrated author Mark Time, who has helped her create the autobiography. She has written the book while still competing in powerboating,

racing again this year as the face of the Asia Powerboat Series in the US and Hong Kong. Most people struggle to meet an 80,000 word count. But for Sarah, the challenge was what to remove, having gone more than 20,000 words over her limit. “I will definitely be writing another two books. My second will be more set around my lifestyle. If this first book is based around my racing with a bit of fitness in there too, then this second will be the reverse. “I was the first person in England to think of women’s functionality in fitness model shows. “And I come from an athletics background so that is what is most important to me. In 2019, they are restarting a big international fitness competition very similar to Miss Galaxy Universe and the federation running it are trialling a fitness section ran by my team. If you call it an athletics competition, I want to see you being athletic.” The book covers the highs and lows of Sarah’s career, but a strong vein of humour runs throughout. She credits the inspiration to write her life story to Chris Eubank, who urged her to write it down so others could learn from her experiences. “I’m glad it has taken me so long to put it together, as the more experiences I’ve had, the more I’ve had to tell. It is not all great, my life has had a lot of issues too. But hopefully it is something which people can relate to.” The World Is Never Enough is out June 5, published by Deringer Publishing. It is available from Amazon and in book stores. n Visit www.sarahdonohue. com or follow her on Twitter @SARAH_DONOHUE and Instagram @fastsarah

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GROUP EXERCISE,BOUTIQUE FITNESS

Workout had the chance to speak with MoreYoga, London’s fastest growing boutique brand, and find out just how they made the fitness activity such a hit in a boutique environment.

How MoreYoga became a boutique success What do you think is the key to its success? By offering a “no frills” approach to yoga, we have been able to provide great instructors in simple studio spaces at convenient locations - at rates people can afford. This means people can fit us into their lives effortlessly. By simply supplying the expertise and equipment needed to practice yoga, but not the non-essentials, like fluffy towels or scented candles we are able to pass the savings on to our clients with cheaper classes – making it much more affordable and accessible. Our growth has been informed a dialogue with our members about what they want. Around 80 per cent said they would happily forgo showers in order to benefit from cheaper classes and almost everyone said they didn’t need a reception desk. In fact, many saw it as a barrier. By providing a viable alternative

that correlate directly to their usage. We offer really comprehensive timetables across all our studios – which gives people the variety they want – and our friendly, down-toearth approach, means people can feel at home at our studios even if they are just starting on their yoga journey. We consistently get feedback about our team of instructors, so credit has to go to them about the level of service and expertise they provide. We handpick our instructors and are extremely proud of their ability to connect with our clients. MoreYoga founders, Shamir and Daniel. to the gym, people can access high quality yoga across London with MoreYoga. What do you think makes you stand out in the boutique fitness market? We give people access to high quality yoga with a range of pricing options

Tell us about the transition from fitness to yoga… how did that came about? Our first business was personal training studios, MoreFit, which we launched in 2014. We had three studios, but growth was slow, and we could see that yoga and pilates was the way of the future. We could see the trend towards holistic health and wellbeing and felt

that with the right team we could provide a high level of service in this area. Starting in 2016, we self-funded the first four studios, then used crowdfunding and business loans to drive further growth. Why do you think yoga works so well in the boutique environment? By its nature the boutique studio is more personal, and with yoga that sense of connection is vital. Time and money are two resources people use sparingly and everyone appreciates low cost fitness. Yoga is a strong product because it is more than just the physical aspect, it brings in mental relaxation and a spiritual element: relaxation and restorative yoga is still the most popular. People need a more holistic approach to their health – they are struggling, with finances, stress, lack of access to exercise and many other pressures.

Rise in group exercise in the over 45s THE Latest results from a survey by EMD UK, the UK’s governing body for group exercise, have shown a huge growth in group exercise for the over 45s. There has been a 1.1 million rise in weekly group exercise participants aged 45 plus, with 3.76 million more people participating in group exercise annually than in 2016. Here Ross Perriam, UK chief executive of EMD UK, shares his thoughts: “With group exercise consistently ranked as one of the UK’s top five activities to stay healthy, these findings further highlight how important it is for leisure operators

to have a strong, innovative group exercise proposition for their members. “The year-on-year growth in group exercise provides greater employment opportunities for instructors, and provides operators with a broader range of options to engage and retain their members. In such a competitive sector, having a high quality and varied group exercise offering can be a real differentiator between health clubs and gyms. “We believe one of the main factors driving the increase in group exercise participation is wide variety of classes now available. As we see

new group exercise formats emerge, classes have become more inclusive and accessible. There really is something to suit everyone whatever their age, gender or physical ability. Whilst intense HIIT sessions continue to thrive for those seeking a tough, physical workout, this year we have also seen Tai Chi enter the top twenty most popular group exercise styles for the first time. “We’re also very encouraged to see the positive steps in increasing accessibility, with over 50 per cent of group exercise growth coming from a C2DE audience and the socio-economic gap closing. There’s also been a substantial rise in the

number of people over the age of 45 participating in group exercise. The results of this research reinforce the success of EMD UK’s work in promoting group exercise, training the workforce and introducing new group exercise brands to market. This sustained popularity of group exercise is providing more opportunities for instructors and new formats to flourish. Group exercise is here to stay, and it is more important than ever that we support the training and development of new and existing instructors and recognise and reward them for their passion and the great work they do.”

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GROUP EXERCISE/BOUTIQUE FITNESS

Building a boutique environment By Steve Carter DRIVEN largely by millennials, exercisers are increasingly looking to be part of exclusive fitness communities; wanting to train collectively in a motivating and constantly changing environment; wanting to be held accountable and track their progress. It’s a mindset and a lifestyle. As described by Club Intel, the millennial effect is “The conscious desire to have their brand experience align with their lifestyle value.” What they are looking for is inspiration and adventure, as well as uniqueness and novelty. More importantly, they crave a tribe, not just a community, and covet a local feel. With excitement around the boutique fitness experience still growing, gym owners would be wise to look at ways they can capitalise on this trend as an additional revenue option and as a way of helping both member engagement and retention. So how can you bring the boutique experience to your fitness facility? By strengthening your existing value proposition or by creating a new one. Choosing the right equipment can help you seize the business opportunity and profit from this trend. With the focus often on indoor cycling, HIIT or yoga studios, individual concepts within the gym environment can easily be created. Alongside our vast range of cardiovascular and strength equipment, the additions of both the Queenax modular functional training system and the indoor cycling brand Spinning to the Precor portfolio, enable us to offer personalised solutions, whether you’re a small boutique gym or a larger facility wanting to offer members a boutique experience. Versatile training options such as Queenax functional fitness provide the perfect solution and can help embrace the boutique HIIT environment exercisers are craving.

What’s unique about group training using the Queenax is that time can be dedicated to an individual’s goals whilst still training in a group environment, using a variety of training apps and stations. This enables ultimate use of your gym space, providing a driven, exciting and profitable group training offer, based on progressive systems and categories of movement. With lots of configurations to choose from, along with additional training apps and a wide range of tools and accessories for different exercises, Queenax allows you to bespoke your training space. Certification for PT’s to become Queenax Coaches teaches instructors a number of extendable programmes they can bespoke to individual members, slot-in to the group exercise schedule as-is or use as a base to grow classes and membership over weeks and months. Gyms can also deliver their members a fantastic ride with the range of Spinner bikes and a dedicated education programme that qualifies staff as Certified Spin instructors and enables facilities to offer a consistently high standard of classes using top of the range equipment that’s durable and built to last. n Steve Carter is managing director at Precor UK.

Case study – Salt Ayre Leisure Centre: Salt Ayre Leisure Centre in Lancaster is a council operated site covering over 6,500 square metres. The centre recently underwent an extensive renovation, including a complete reconfiguration of its layout. During the design stage management considered the best way to use the space in an efficient and effective manner and opted for two Queenax units, instantly creating a boutique environment. Simon Kirby, Sports and Leisure Manager at Lancaster City Council, says: “Our aim was to create an inspirational destination so members of our community and from across the region will come and enjoy a wide range of new and innovative physical activities.” Salt Ayre installed two different versions of the Queenax; the Bridge - a larger unit based in a former archery hall, which spans the length of the long, narrow room, utilising the wall space while leaving the whole length of the room accessible; and an Open Format in the main fitness studio, enabling members to train around it from all sides, making it ideal for group exercise classes. Outside of these classes, members can use the units independently. Gym instructors are fully trained and encourage members to incorporate exercises on the Queenax into their everyday fitness routines. Personal Trainers also incorporate exercises on the it into their clients’ routines. The fitness studio’s open format means many different user groups can access the unit at the same time. Salt Ayre also invested in a wide range of Queenax add-ons to increase the range of exercises available, including TRX, Up Strength ladders, Superfunctional training bars, a punching bag and more. Staff and customer feedback has also been positive, with members commenting the new gym layout is appealing and eye catching.

GROUP EXERCISE,BOUTIQUE FITNESS

Boutique health clubs – how to ensure you make not break when entering this sector By Jonathan Williams THE past few years have been interesting for the UK health and fitness sector. Boutique clubs, classes and operators have been disrupting the fitness club norm, with London leading the way in the boom of boutiques. London is fiercely competitive for any fitness operator but more so for boutiques. It’s pretty cut throat and clubs will quickly sink or swim. The key to swimming is you need to be clear on your brand values and live them day in day out. Ensure you and your teams know and understand your USPs and stay true to them. However, the most important consideration in all of this is the member experience; this MUST be the focus. Member experience isn’t just about a free smoothie at the end of the work out. It’s about the whole package - price, staff, equipment and classes. We approach URBANFITNESS members in the same way a performance director looks at his or her athletes; we try to understand EVERYTHING around the individual for them to commit to the programme or in the case of members - adherence to exercise and activity. Like Sir Clive Woodward and Sir Dave Brailsford, we plan everything meticulously without

making things overly complex. We go into minute detail around the design of the club. We ensure we have the very best equipment, which is proven to deliver the best results, we look at programme design repeatedly, we look at what level of support our members will need to succeed. We actively seek out new and unique partnerships to add value, which are part and parcel of the memberships and which we know our members will enjoy. Price is an important consideration and consumers are price sensitive even more so in London due to the cost of living. We have spent years analysing fitness trends and financial modelling and believe you can offer the ‘boutique’ experience and service with a value price point. This level of scrutiny is needed in this market. You can’t be complacent. You must keep striving for better. We are painstakingly thorough when it comes to the recruitment of our team members. They are critical to your members coming back day in day out, week in week out. We absolutely understand that staff retention is linked to member retention and hand in hand with this, your staff must love what they do, who they work for and what the club stands for; otherwise they can cross the street and get a job

Jonathan Williams

somewhere else. Most staff members are either millennials or generation z so we need to ensure they are motivated, supported and basically enjoy working for us and believe in our message. So much so that we ask them to measure every decision they make/ interaction they have against our brand values as those half a dozen points enable them to live it and our members to feel it… We’ve all been to a club where the receptionist doesn’t make eye contact, you attempt to navigate the walls and halls to find the changing rooms still harbouring the stale smells of the 7am circuit class. Upon finding the spin studio and bike which functions you have to endure a 45-minute class where the instructor has his arms folded and is looking anywhere apart from the class participants who have to strain to hear their cues over the crackly music

as the head mic is broken. This won’t cut it in London. Our team come from a broad range of specialist and professional sporting backgrounds. All coaches are expected to complete and pass the Resistance Training Specialist course delivered by our partners at Integra; we then allocate a subsequent training fund per team member to ensure their continuous professional development and knowledge in the latest training techniques. We make time for our teams to train as part of their daily routines. Although many of the London clubs will tell you they are crying out for PTs and fitness instructors it’s vital you don’t just take anyone with a level 2 fitness qualification. They need to reflect your brand and brand values and to be frank live it. We work in a people business. They are at the heart of the operation both as members and as staff who help our members succeed. London is difficult for new entrants, but my top piece of advice is to stick to your guns and don’t be intimidated by the larger operators. Not all consumers want to be a member of a large faceless brand and it seems even landlords now want to work with smaller more agile and flexible businesses. n Jonathan Williams is co-founder and director of URBANFITNESS, London.

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GROUP EXERCISE/BOUTIQUE FITNESS

Advertiser’s announcement

Dyaco presents the Johnny G Spirit Bike SPINNING® pioneer Johnny G is set to re-enter the world of indoor cycling with the launch of a new bike – the Johnny G Spirit Bike. Developed in partnership with global fitness company Dyaco through the Spirit Fitness brand, the bike has been carefully crafted using inspiration from the past that has made indoor cycling so popular but at the same time, harnessing the latest technology available. Suitable for riders of all abilities, the bike has 20 levels of electronically controlled, magnetic resistance, creating an opportunity for the user to replicate and differentiate their training sessions. Users have easy access to electronic shifters and can change the level of difficulty by scrolling or via a single touch. The power is self-generated, requiring no external power source or batteries, which allows for easy studio placement and low maintenance. The steel frame chassis of the bike is electroplated, powder-coated

and corrosion-resistant, ensuring a long-wearing and durable piece of equipment for commercial use. Utilising a hybrid-feel, toothed cog drive belt, the system provides an ideal combination of the efficient and immediate power transfer of a chain, with the low maintenance of a belt, making it an ideal choice for group exercise sessions. A range of performance metrics are available on the cockpit-style console with high-visibility LED displays, including level, RPM, time elapsed, distance, Watts, speed and heart rate. The Johnny G Spirit Bike also retains metrics to analyse post-training including average and peak readings of RPM, Watt output, speed and heartrate. Johnny G commented: “Like myself, Dyaco is a very ambitious and forward-thinking company and a lot of hard work and effort has gone into developing the new Johnny G Spirit Bike. “We believe it is the perfect innovation – with the past moulded

and forged into the future. “There has been a lot of attention to detail involved throughout production, with the cockpit-style console being strategically crafted to transport you into an elevated state of performance through the integration of mind and body.” However, it’s not just about the bike. Johnny G’s unique programming and the Ride of Truth offers the purest form of challenge, liberation and reality on a bicycle. The Ride of Truth is a programme which invites cyclists to attend a five-hour event encompassing lectures, workshops and participation in various cycling training methodologies including hills, endurance, intervals and recovery. Ride of Truth focuses less on having an instructor in front of you and instead, provides participants with a goal and a challenge for them to overcome. At the centre of the five-hour events is a time-trial which allows them to put into practice everything they’ve

learned and experience the emotional aspect of taking on a challenge and facing adversity. Johnny G adds: “Ride of Truth offers cycling enthusiasts an opportunity to tap into the emotional strength within themselves and focus their mind on a challenge that tests their physical limits. One that can only be achieved when the participant summons the tenacity and courage to defeat the adversity they are faced with. “We’ve named it Ride of Truth because at our events, everyone has to face their own ability and ride at an intensity they can handle, using their own power to focus the mind. “It’s about characteristics that make up athletes; tenacity and courage. It’s not just about pushing your body to the maximum but also where you can take yourself in terms of selfmotivation and inspiration.” For further information about the Johnny G Spirit bike, contact the Dyaco team on uk-info@dyaco.com call 0800 0293865, or visit www.johnnygspiritbike.com

Contact E: uk-info@dyaco.com T: 0800 0293865 W: www.dyaco.co.uk

GROUP EXERCISE/BOUTIQUE FITNESS

New technology keeps Third Space ahead of the curve WITH 200 instructors working across its five clubs, communications and managing class cover is a challenging issue, according to Third Space’s Head of Group Exercise, Antony Stewart. “I had noticed a trend of people using email less. In a more stylish, millennium world it’s old hat. Our instructors are aged between about 18 and 30 and use WhatsApp and snapchat – half won’t even open email,” says Antony. Third Space partnered with smartphone-driven workforce management platform, Our People, to revolutionise the way it communicates with staff, and since its launch at the end of last year, 90 per cent of the company’s instructors have signed up and are engaged on the platform. “I wanted to explore how we could turn what was essentially a tool for remote workers into a tool for the group exercise world. “Our slant was instructors who work across multiple sites, not necessarily people that don’t have access to a computer. How can we communicate effectively with these instructors?” said Antony. “We spent the first six months fading out emails and pumping all

our communications through the Our People to encourage our 200 instructors to engage with it. Once a week we send a series of stimulating and interesting messages, including the anatomy and physiology update as well as a motivational quote from our mind/ body team. I also share my recommended ‘track of the week’, with insight on its genre and BPM for those that may want to buy it. We’ve now got 180 of our instructors using Our People on a regular basis. The remaining 10 per cent will need to engage quickly or they won’t be able to enjoy the benefits of class cover that it offers.” Third Space is the first club to use the platform to manage cover for its group exercise classes. Our People CEO, Ross McCaw explains: “A big difference between boutique clubs like Third Space and traditional leisure centres is how they manage cover of group exercise classes. Traditionally a leisure centre will look to management to organise class cover, whereas in the boutique market they actively encourage team members to ‘own’ their classes. For Third Space we built a way for instructors to ‘broadcast’

cover requests directly from their App, meaning they can truly take responsibility for covering their classes.” “The response indicates to me that this is the way of communications for the future. This App could literally change the way the entire group exercise industry manages class cover,” added Antony. “As with many other operators, for Third Space organising class cover was previously random, unsupervised and uncontrolled. As a business we want to have better insight. “Now, using the App, an instructor can quickly and easily message everyone qualified to teach their class, with those confirming availability sent to the group exercise manager to sign off, providing two checks to ensure the best person possible covers the class. It’s working really well and brings us totally into 21st century in the instructors’ eyes; they expect Third Space to be ahead of the curve.” Whilst Antony points out they never cancel classes, his mission it to ensure members enjoy first class experience whether it’s their usual instructor or a replacement. “Our members have the right to expect 10 out of 10 cover all year round; it’s not

acceptable for it to drop to seven out of 10 for five weeks of the year when their instructor is on holiday. Our People will enable us to deliver this.” Ross added: “The Third Space management team have full visibility over who covers which shift and managers can even approve this process. The great news is traditional leisure centres are also now using elements of this new feature and we’re seeing some really great feedback.” As well as managing class cover, the App also acts as a diary, a messaging system and an educational tool, enabling instructors to enlist on education programmes, including surveys and quizzes, as well as search and view operating procedure manuals and action plans. “All our signature Third Space classes have comprehensive training behind them,” added Antony. “Every quarter we run an intense day-long training session for each and every class. “We want to know at the end whether our instructors have understood and enjoyed what they’ve learned, so we use Our People to broadcast surveys and quizzes to follow up and test their knowledge. That’s really important to us.”

UK FITNESS SCENE This year marks swimming tuition specialists Swimming Nature’s 25th anniversary and the milestone has brought with it some big changes. Former Swim England chief executive Adam Paker recently took over from Eduardo Ferré as CEO, with Eduardo moving into the role of product director. Adam spoke to Workout about his new role, sector challenges and opportunities and how the company plans to harness the power of technology.

Big changes at Swimming Nature in milestone year How are you enjoying your new role so far? I’m five months in and thoroughly enjoying it. What we’re doing is hugely worthwhile, and teaching people to swim is a true passion of mine. The organisation has gone through major restructuring since I’ve come on board and I’ve been developing our strategy for the next few years, which is exciting.

What do you think will be the biggest challenges and opportunities presented to the company – and the sector – over the next few months? The biggest challenges are still the funding of swimming facilities, and ensuring enough people learn to swim. This is why we’re presenting people with an alternative to the traditional swimming lesson. Swimming must stay modern to compete with sports like cycling or gym-based workouts. Technology within swimming is starting to catch up with other sports, so there is a massive potential for innovation. At Swimming Nature, we’re looking at some exciting technological developments which we hope to announce soon. Whilst our offering is very well known in parts of the country, there is still huge scope for us to grow the brand nationally and internationally. Additionally, there is now a huge policy focus in the UK on getting people moving. If you’re inactive, you’re not suddenly going to take up rugby, but you can swim gently, walk or run in the pool. Swimming involves no impact and serves as a starting point to transition into other activities. How will you drive up participation numbers in swimming and how will partnering with leisure operators help with that? Firstly, by ensuring our current pools are as effective as possible and secondly, by growing our network within the UK and internationally. As we grow, we’ll enable more people to learn to swim, which is the ultimate goal. Leisure operators control so many pools across the country and will be key to us achieving our goals. Our product can easily sit alongside an existing learn-to-swim programme and adds another revenue stream.

Eduardo Ferré and Adam Paker. How can clubs further promote the benefits of swimming – and swimming tuition – to their members? Most gymgoers don’t use the ‘wet-side’ facilities; operators need to make the pool more enticing and present it as a real fitness opportunity. At Swimming Nature, we’re developing a suite of water fitness products. The water is a fantastic place to condition, get fit and lose weight, but people don’t necessarily know this. In the water, you can do functional training with weights, using small pieces of kit to add resistance. This creates a totally different experience, allowing an operator to be seen as a real innovator. It’s also a great differentiator for personal trainers, and by offering members something different, aids engagement and retention. What part will data and technology play in your new role? Things like facial recognition and wearables to measure performance in the pool could

revolutionise our business. Ultimately, it’s about understanding the customer journey, the services they’re using and where they’re spending their time. Technology can play a pivotal role in that. Gathering customer data is crucial. Demographic information is a good start; what they spend money on or how far they travel to get to a pool are also useful data points. Attitudinal data is vital in understanding what’s important to customers. Making it easy for customers to submit their data is essential. Booking is the obvious time to collect this. Operators can track how many consumers come through the door and their behaviour once they arrive. Do they just come for their lesson and leave, or do they spend time in the café? This is critical data, and if we use it right, we’ll produce happier customers who will spend more money with us.

MEMBERSHIP MARKETING

Core Gym adapts to succeed By Oliver Dyson ADAPTING to what members want has been key to the success of Core Gym in Bradford. Within a month of the Greengates gym opening, a branch of Pure Gym opened just a mile up the road. Director Andrew Wilkinson quickly realised he needed to change his gym’s direction. After transforming what was a branch of Barratts Shoes into Core Gym, adding a mezzanine level and refurbishing the interior, he then decided to go one step further. Instead of the unmanned approach, he added a reception area and tweaked his business into a low cost, rather than budget operation. It was a decision which has paid dividends for the gym, which counts a membership of almost 2,500 – no mean feat in an area which Andrew describes as being saturated with competition. “Very naively, I tried to replicate similar models to what others were doing when I started out, and quickly learned that was totally the wrong thing to do,” Andrew said. “We had PTs on the same model as Pure Gym and found it wasn’t productive and they were not as enthusiastic. So I changed and employed reception and sales staff and only kept the PTs as paying rent. “That seemed to work a lot better and it added a personal touch which compared to other operators, members seem to love. It gives members someone to talk to, to get advice from. “As a nation we are very much going the way of having everything automated and you don’t have to have people or staff costs – but I still think it is very important.” Andrew put in the legwork and researched gyms in the Leeds and Bradford area, to find out what did and did not work from each. He then passed that onto his staff, teaching them the dos and do nots of selling and how to overcome objections.

“Having the reception desk also makes a big difference for secondary spend. We have made much more than if we just had vending machines. We have deals of the month and offers on things from ready meals to supplements, and have people who just come in to get those. Then we can offer them a trial and nine out of 10 times, they will join up. “One of the major blocks to us is because of its history as a long-running shoe shop, people still associate it with that. We have to change that perception, but once people are through the door it happens – I don’t think they expect the amount of

space we actually have.” The gym benefits from its own free car parking, with no restriction on time and plenty of space. Andrew’s approach to making Core Gym a little bit different extends to the classes on offer too. “We didn’t want just generic circuits. We wanted something unique to set us apart from the rest. So we offer things which are often combinations of other classes, like Fight Club, which mixes boxercise with MMA. “One of our most popular is early morning Rave Fit, which is old school ravers blended with a HIIT based class and is actually popular with a lot of old timers.”

TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT SPONSORED BY

Active IQ launches its new Skills Hub

Ash Rai (SLT CEO), Chris Malkin, Rachel Evans-Robinson, Lisa Richards. Front: Abigail Major and Ben Darby.

Leisure Trust invests in mental health training By Oliver Dyson SANDWELL Leisure Trust has mental health on the mind, ensuring all its senior managers are qualified Mental Health First Aiders. A two-day bespoke training course was delivered at its Hadley Stadium facility in Smethwick, West Midlands, delivered by specialist provider Inter Wellbeing Ltd. Now 20 SLT staff are able to identify, understand and help someone who is experiencing a mental health issue. SLT business and commercial manager Mark Wildman said: “Mental health awareness and training is an increasingly important area for employers, as well as being an absolute top priority for Public Health England and the World Health Organisation, so we think taking a proactive and positive approach is vital – plus it further demonstrates the Trust’s ongoing commitment to advance the training, development and welfare of staff under its Investor in People Standard.’ “Mental Health First Aid is just as important as Physical First Aid and should be considered by all organisations really, because it can strike at any time and can affect

people from all walks of life. “This fascinating course has both empowered and educated our managers to be able to support staff who may need help, as it not only improves understanding, but assists with recognising those who maybe suffering and have a mental illness, as well as early intervention tactics.” The course also helps employees develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone, while keeping oneself safe, and guide a person towards the right support for recovery or successful management of symptoms. This could include self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP or place of work, online self-referral, support groups and more. Rachel Evans-Robinson, director of Inter Wellbeing Ltd, added: “Sandwell Leisure Trust is to be commended for leading the way in mental health awareness. “We are proud of our partnership with SLT and have really enjoyed training such a pro-active, forward thinking organisation, which actively supports positive wellbeing and is also tackling the issue of stigma in the workplace.”

A NEW Skills Hub has been launched by Active IQ, offering resources and support to employers, its approved centres and learners to enhance their teaching and learning. The Skills Hub can be accessed online at activeiq.co.uk/skills-hub and is divided into seven key areas: Qualification Launch Pad; Teaching & Learning; Continuing Professional Development; Funding & Policy; Chief Medical Advisor; Business & Marketing and Graduate Tool Kit. Each section contains materials such as tip sheets, downloadable resources, links to webinars, videos, vlogs and blogs. Active IQ managing director Jenny Patrickson said: “For many years we have offered far more than just qualifications providing a diverse range of resources and signposting employers, trainers and learners to our associates and experts. “Our Skills Hub brings together a vast array of expert help and

guidance through downloadable and shareable resources. Alongside this we have a comprehensive calendar of interactive educational webinars, blogs and videos practical help sessions covering key topics. “The aim of the Active IQ Skills Hub is to impart expert knowledge to support organisations and learners upskill around teaching, learning, funding, apprenticeships, traineeships and much more. “In addition to our senior management team sharing their knowledge and experience, our independent experts bring a wealth of knowledge covering training, education, medical matters and marketing. Having access to these industry experts will ensure ongoing, relatable industry support though our Skills Hub updating issues in real time as topics change and evolve for our trainers and learners.” For more information visit https://www.activeiq.co.uk/skills-hub/

Business celebrates 25 years RESISTING ‘the race to the bottom’ is a key value for Future Fit Training founder Rob Johnson, who has just celebrated 25 years in business. Rob, who founded Future Fit in 1993, said fast tracked training which sees people gain advanced personal training qualifications in a matter of weeks, threatened the reputation of the industry in the early 2000s. He resisted that trend back then and still holds important that training and assessment over time should be industry standard – in his eyes, for at least a year and ideally 18 months. He said: “We have been pushing this crucial message for over 20 years and, for the most part, operators and students can see the merit in training that is delivered over time, culminating in rigorous real-life assessments. “Future Fit Training was born with the mission to educate and create fitness professionals who would thrive in the fitness industry and raise the standards throughout gyms and health clubs across the UK. “Professionalising the industry, creating genuine career paths and not

simply ‘jobs in gyms’ and supporting employers, PTs and fitness instructors to fulfil their potential remain our goals.” In the 25 years it has been running, Future Fit has had more than 30,000 students. It has also been recognised as ukactive’s Training Provider Of The Year for two years in a row, and is the only UK provider to hold the ISO 9001 quality management accreditation with the British Standards Institution. “Quality underpins everything we do and my founding principles of providing better training, higher standards and consistency and value in qualifications are as valid and important today as they were in 1993,” added Rob. “I’m very pleased to be celebrating 25 years of training provision and wish to thank my outstanding colleagues who have helped shape our business. Future Fit is running a student discount through September and a 25-hour-long non-stop charity workout. They are also keen to track down past students to see how their careers have progressed.

Alliance Leisure appoints new training head ALLIANCE Leisure Services has appointed Marina Thomas to the newly-created role of head of training and development. Marina has worked in the health, fitness and hospitality industries for 25 years. A specialist in customer experience, membership sales and customer retention training, she has extensive experience in both the public and private sector. In her new role, Marina will develop and deliver bespoke training plans to Alliance Leisure clients to help them achieve their income targets and ensure longterm viability. Developments will include

e-learning and learning management systems for both Alliance Leisure and its clients. She will also be responsible for managing and developing the company’s growing training department. A former actress, Marina has worked in a variety of operational roles in the sector, including studio manager, membership sales, club manager and areas sales trainer for Holmes Place Health clubs. She left Holmes Place to join Precor UK selling and designing gyms before being promoted to UK national sales manager, a position she held for four years. In 2011, Marina launched Marina

Solutions to provide training and consultancy to the public sector, fitness and hospitality industries. She said: “I’m looking forward to working with Alliance’s wide variety of clients and providing tailored training that inspires change and helps clients to achieve their goals.” Paul Woodford, director of marketing and partnerships at Alliance Leisure, added: “I’m delighted to welcome Marina to the team. “As one of the sector’s most respected and experienced trainers, she has a track record of developing engaging and effective training that will make a huge difference to our clients and their bottom line.”

Marina Thomas

UK FITNESS SCENE

Gamify your fitness – three partner exercises By Dave Wright

exercises with your partner. Repeat this game for three or four rounds.

to get your heart rate up to the target percentage you agreed upon. Sounds easy enough, right? Here’s the catch – you have to stay in sync with your partner so you both hit your target at the same time. That means if one partner’s heart rate increases faster than the other, that person will need to decrease their speed or resistance and cheer on their partner to get their heart rate up! Once you both reach your target heart rate, stop exercising and recover for 60 seconds. The goal of this game is to see which partner recovers more within the minute following the exercise. Whoever has the greatest recovery for the majority of sets wins! Tip: Try using different exercises for each set, but be sure to do an odd number of sets so you don’t end in a tie.

Drop it Low Game Pick an exercise that will boost your heart rate over the course of several sets. You and your partner will determine your heart rate goal for the exercise – we recommend somewhere between 85 per cent and 90 per cent of your estimated maximum heart rate. Begin the exercise together, aiming

Recovery Relay Game Pick an exercise that will boost your heart rate over the course of several sets. You and your partner will determine your heart rate goal for the exercise – we recommend somewhere between 85 per cent and 90 per cent of your estimated maximum heart rate. You will also set a duration for this game – we recommend anywhere from four to eight minutes.

FITNESS gamification boosts your motivation and makes working out fun. Here are three ways that you can turn your workouts into a fun game using wearable technology. Peaks & Valleys Game Select two exercises, one that will get your heart rate to spike (i.e. burpees, push press, squat jump) and one that’s focused on muscular endurance (i.e. plank, wall sit). One partner will perform exercise A, the heart rate exercise, while the other performs exercise B for muscular endurance. The goal of exercise A is to increase your heart rate up to 85 per cent of your estimated maximum heart rate. Once you reach 85 per cent of your maximum heart rate, stop exercising and recover down to 75 per cent as fast as possible. While the exerciser doing exercise A brings their heart rate up and recovers down, the exerciser doing exercise B will perform their muscular endurance exercise without stopping. You better hope your partner has a fast heart rate recovery! Once the exerciser doing exercise A has recovered to 75 per cent, switch

Dave Wright

Dyaco enters into global partnership with gym80 DYACO International has entered into a global partnership agreement with award winning Gym80, one of the world’s leading strength training equipment providers, with the aim to strategically enhance the offering of both companies to the fitness and medical markets. The new global partnership offers both organisations the opportunity to formulate collaborations and encourage the sharing of infrastructure, resources and expertise between the two corporations. Both manufacturers will remain as independent organisations while continuing to operate their successful bases throughout Europe and Asia. The partnership will enable Dyaco and gym80 to provide a more comprehensive and compelling portfolio of brands and products to better serve the commercial markets.

Simal Yilmaz, CEO of gym80, commented: “With Dyaco, we now have the perfect partner that optimally complements our already existing product lines, resources and existing know-how – and vice versa. “We firmly believe this new partnership will deliver strong international growth for both partners and brands.” Daniel Clayton, president of Dyaco Commercial and Medical Division, added: “As we build on the strategy and development of the Dyaco Commercial and Medical Division, this strategic alliance with gym80 is an ideal platform for both companies to collaborate and capitalise on the mutual expertise and resources that this partnership brings.”

You and your partner will begin the exercise at the same time, aiming to get your heart rate up to the target percentage you set. Unlike the game Drop It Low, you and your partner will not keep your heart rate in sync. Rather, you’ll aim to get your heart rate to your target zone, then recover as quickly as possible to 75 per cent or lower before moving onto the next set. The goal of this game is to see which partner is able to complete the most rounds within the period of time you pre-determined. While exercisers who have a higher level cardiorespiratory fitness will likely recover faster, they will also take longer to get their heart rate up, making this anyone’s game! n Dave Wright is the creator and CEO of MYZONE®, CEO and owner of CFM (Creative Fitness Marketing) and owner of the Feelgood Fitness & Voyage Fitness Club chains. With offices in Chicago (US), Nottingham (UK) and Melbourne (Oz), Dave’s companies have worked directly with over 5,000 health clubs across 30 different countries, encouraging people to be more and stay more physically active. He may be contacted on Dave@ myzone.org

Boosting members’ loyalty with the use of technology INCREASING the amount of member touch points is proven to boost retention. With the right technology, staying in touch doesn’t have to be a hassle. Enter Virtuagym, a complete member engagement platform with integrated branded mobile apps. The in-app community allows members and staff to engage in motivational conversation, get tips, and share experiences. Push notifications serve as helpful workout reminders, or to communicate class changes to members. And the complete exercise and nutrition guidance tools make sure that your members keep interacting with your brand on their phone. Other Virtuagym solutions include

online member registration, scheduling, club & member management, and more. Manage all aspects of your business efficiently and offer engaging services that will keep your members healthy and happy. Visit virtuagym.com or call 020 8133 3657.

Is your Direct Debit process Get your marketing house in order airtight in the wake of GDPR? WHICH is the best channel to you use to contact your customers? Text message, emails? Well after the recent new regulations (GDPR) we should really be asking our customers! The new law is not there to stop contact with members or customers, it is really there to help us tidy up our act and get our marketing house in order. Customers now have a choice in how they hear from us, so in theory they will read our marketing messages instead of deleting them along with all the others. So any businesses following best practice should now ask their customers how they would like

to be contacted. The playing field has already started to change, with inboxes containing far fewer irrelevant emails than a few months ago, taking us back to the days where we read ALL our emails. SportSoft’s new GDPR Portal allows customers to register their details, complete their PARQ, give consent to hold their data and also set their marketing preferences, thus allowing you to securely store and contact your members in whatever manner they request. It is a legal requirement now and will dramatically reduce your reception staff workload. Call 01423 873873 for more information.

THE GDPR is now in force! Are you locking your work computers? Have you updated your passwords? And have you reassessed your Direct Debit strategy? Whilst Direct Debit is one of the safest payment methods available in the UK, safeguards are a vital facet in any situation where money and personal data converge. Here are some safety measures you can put in place: 1. Use online joining – gyms and fitness centres, in particular, have lorded online joining as the holy grail of admin and security. Automatic bank verification reduces delays and errors on first payment, and all data is locked away in a paperless vault (aka.

Your CRM). 2. Keep the bank and Bacs in the loop – if information is incorrect, then they may not be able to get in touch regarding important matters. 3. Develop a damage control strategy – this will set the wheels in motion to handle something as small as late payments to rarer crises such as system failures. 4. Use a bureau – a bureau will handle every aspect of contingency and the Direct Debit process for you. Security is their forte and they’re happy to remove the onus from you. DFC is a leading Direct Debit bureau, offering a transparent service that frees up busy organisations. Visit debitfinance.co.uk

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SATURDAY 21ST & SUNDAY 22NDJULY 10am - 2pm

VIEWING STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT ALL GOODS SOLD CASH ON COLLECTION FIRST COME FIRST SERVED TECHNOGYM

Cardiowave 700i Crosstrainers Both TV screen and SP models

2A5 £V2 CH AT E

ONLY 25 AVAILABLE

CONCEPT II

Model D Rower Both PM3 and PM4 Monitors

9A5 £V3 CH AT E +

Contact Paul to arrange a viewing on:

07977 013078 marshman.fitness@gmail.com

CLASSIFIED FITNESS EQUIPMENT

One of the U.K’s Leading Suppliers of...

MYO strength

Gym Design & Supply £

Equipment Finance

Service & Repair Parts Supply

:www.staffsfitness.co.uk

:sales@staffsfitness.co.uk

:01538 387960

CLASSIFIED LOCKS

SOFTWARE

LOCKS

AUDIO / VISUAL

INSURANCE

CLOTHING & MERCHANDISE

CLASSIFIED LOGISTICS

FITNESS EQUIPMENT

REPAIRS

FLOORING

DIRECT DEBIT COLLECTIONS

WANTED

CLASSIFIED LOCKERS

DISPLAYS

LOCKERS

SUN BEDS

UPHOLSTERY

MANAGEMENT